Sprouting is germinating the seeds to be eaten raw or cooked. Sprouted foods are a convenient way to have fresh vegetables for salads and are one of the highest sources of proteins, and fibre. If you are planning to go on a diet, these sprouts would serve as one of the best tummy fillers for in between snacks. Since sprouts are also high in fibre and low in calorie, it can contribute positively to any weight loss diet plan. Eating sprouts will let you enjoy nutrients without the extra calories. It will also make you feel fuller and stay off hunger longer. If you are looking for a way to lose weight, include sprouts in your diet.

Experts estimate that there can be up to 100 times more enzymes in sprouts than uncooked fruits and vegetables. Most beans increase in Vitamin A by eight times after being sprouted. Sprouts are beneficial to your health. Apart from that, they are also very delicious. Including them in your diet would be very easy. You can add them to your salads, soups, meat dishes, and pasta to make them more scrumptious and appetizing. Its crisp and flavour make dishes more delicious. Now if you want to maximize their benefits even more, you can also snack on them fresh.

The quality of the protein in the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains improves when it is sprouted.When you say protein, the first things on people’s minds are meat, chicken, fish, egg, and dairy products. What most people do not know is that sprouts are also very high in protein. In fact, they can contain up to 35 percent protein. Adding sprouts to your diet will give you the necessary protein intake required by your body minus the fat, cholesterol, and calories that typically come with animal meats.

5 important reasons to not miss out on sprouts ;1. Rich in Essential Nutrients2. Excellent Source of Enzymes3. High in Protein4. Easy to Digest5. Good for Weight Loss

PREP TIMETOTAL TIME

5 minutes12 hours - 24 hours

This is a common recipe for all pulses that can be sprouted, but for specific ones , I have mentioned them in a table below.

Pick and wash the pulses. Soak them in room temperature* water for 8 - 12 hours, or as required.

Drain the water and do not allow them to dry completely. Place them in a kitchen towel and cover completely for 12 hours (small sprouts) to 24 hours (long sprouts).

Sporuts can be frozen for about a month atleast, but if they are kept in the refrigerator, do not allow them to sit for more than a week to 10 days.

As a rule of thumb, the bigger the bean, the longer the soaking and cooking time. The process of soaking simply softens the skin and stops splitting during cooking. There are two methods of soaking: long-soaking, which takes time but requires little effort, and quick-soaking – perfect for when you want to cook the beans within a couple of hours.

For long-soaking, soak the beans in a bowl of water at room temperature, overnight or for 8-10 hours. Never soak for longer than 12 hours, or the beans will lose their texture and flavour. For dinner, start soaking in the morning; for lunch, start soaking the night before.

Quick-soaking rehydrates beans in little more than an hour. Put the beans in a pan of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Take off the heat, cover and stand for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, discard the water and cook the beans as per your recipe.

If you search for some information related on sprouts on wikipedia, it states this ''A potential downside to consuming raw sprouts is that the process of germinating seeds can also be conducive to harmful bacterial growth.'' But honestly, I have been eating them since I was a kid, and never have had a problem, so I guess it's more of a personal opinion.

OHER BEANS AND PULSES AND THEIR SOAKING AND SPROUTING TIME

BEANS / PULSES

Whole Moong / Mung

Moth Beans / Matki

White Peas / Vatana

Chickpeas / Kabuli Channa

Lablab Beans / Vaal / Dalimbya

Black Eyed Peas / Chouli

Chickpeas (brown) / Kala Channa

Butter Beans / Double Bee

Whole Red Lentils / Whole Masur

SOAKING TIME in ROOM TEMP WATER

8 - 10 Hours

6 - 8 Hours

8 - 10 Hours (with 0.5 tsp of Soda Bicarb)

8 - 10 Hours (with 0.5 tsp of Soda Bicarb)

8 - 10 Hours

8 - 11 Hours

8 - 10 Hours (with 0.5 tsp of Soda Bicarb)

8 - 10 Hours (with 0.5 tsp of Soda Bicarb)

12 - 15 hours

SPROUTING TIME

10 - 12 Hours (small sprouts)

12 - 24 Hours(long sprouts)

8 - 10 Hours (small sprouts)

12 - 15 Hours(long sprouts)

10 - 12 Hours (small sprouts)

12 - 24 Hours(long sprouts)

10 - 12 Hours (small sprouts)

12 - 24 Hours(long sprouts)

10 - 12 hours

10 - 12 Hours (small sprouts)

12 - 24 Hours(long sprouts)

10 - 12 Hours (small sprouts)

12 - 24 Hours(long sprouts)

10 - 12 Hours (small sprouts)

12 - 24 Hours(long sprouts)

10 - 12 Hours (small sprouts)

12 - 24 Hours(long sprouts)

MY NOTES The pulses have to be kept in room temperature water. If warm or hot water is used, the water will get them fermented and wont form proper sprouts. They would even start giving out a foul, rotten, stagnant water smell.If you face a problem while making sprouts, here could be a few reasons why :Seeds are not rinsed well enough before soakingSeeds are left in standing water after the initial soakingSeeds are allowed to dry outTemperature is too high or too lowInsufficient rinsingDirty equipmentInsufficient air flowContaminated water sourcePoor germination rate